Many vehicles are fitted with retractable ramps to facilitate loading and unloading. A typical retractable ramp attaches to the rear of a vehicle and slopes downwardly to the ground in its operative position. The ramp is retracted beneath the vehicle body for storage when not in use.
Retractable ramps currently available are typically heavy and somewhat cumbersome for an individual operator to use due to the strong construction necessary for load-carrying ability and the long length of the ramps. Where the ramp is stored beneath the body of the vehicle, the inner end of the extended ramp must be lifted a significant distance to be engaged to the vehicle work surface.
Thus, there presently exists a need for a ramp mechanism that reduces the effort necessary to raise the inner end of a ramp upwardly to the engagement position when the ramp is in the extended position. Preferably, such a mechanism will not interfere with currently existing retractable ramp designs.